Communication units, which may be portable, mobile, or cellular radio/telephones, communicate voice or data information to other communication units or landline communication units via a communication resource. During idle mode of operation, digital communication units continuously search for an incoming message via a correlation sequence to detect a known pattern indicating the beginning of the incoming message. The correlation sequence, or data detection process, is typically a complex algorithm performed by a processor on board the communication unit. Due to its complexity, the data detection process imposes great processing demands on the processor which results in current drain of the communication unit. Greater current demands result when the data detection processing is performed by a digital signal processor (DSP). Since the communication unit is in the idle mode of operation most of the time, the processor is performing the data detection process most of the time, resulting in an enormous demand on the processor. The greater the processing demand imposed on the DSP, the greater the current drain which results in a shortened battery life.
Therefore, a need exists for a method of data detection processing that minimizes processor loading, reduces current drain, and, thus, increases battery life.